MandyMom’s Photos

Here are some photos from our time spent on holiday!  I am not including any actual “beach” photos of us because y’all don’t need to see us in our suited glory.

Isn’t that cute? I made it out of shells!

You gotta love my dad! He’s a big kid!

(The other girl in the photos, like the one above, is my friend Ashley, who is like part of the family. Her husband was unable to make it, unfortunately!  We missed him!)

In the first weeks of January, my husband went to Belize (Central America, next to Guatemala) on a mission trip with our church.  While there, the group rebuilt two homes affected by Hurricane Dean, helped with Vacation Bible School, and ministered to the people in the town of Santa Clara.  I suppose most people think beach vacation when they hear the word Belize, but the tourist hotspot is just a small part of this area.

My husband, Brandon, and Brother Danny

A BEFORE shot of one of the homes they rebuilt.

The outhouse.  I am SO thankful for indoor plumbing.

My husband was one of the project managers on the job. That’s him measuring out the walls.

 
On the left is one of the homes they rebuilt.  Compare it to the house on the right which has been repaired with patchwork.

Most families in this area have outdoor kitchen “shacks” as it is too hot to cook inside their homes.  This is the makeshift stove they created to cook up one of the dishes for the crew:  Chicken foot stew. (Sounds…. interesting.)

Josh gnaws on one of the chicken feet.  Their version of gumbo is extremely different from our own here in Louisiana.  They put a whole boiled egg in among other odd ingredients!

The children in this area come from familes who cannot afford toothbrushes.  One of the Sunday School teachers purchased toothbrushes for her student and taught them proper hygiene.  Oh the things we take for granted!

One of the adorable little girls.

Children are precious and beautiful world-wide!

I wish I would have been able to go, but with three children (one being less than three months old at the time), it just wasn’t possible.  I have enjoyed listening to my husband tell of God’s glory and works in the area!

I know this is suppose to be wordless, but.. hey, I am not a wordless sort of person.  Nolyn recently turned three, and it has caused me to look back to the time when my first born turned three.  Here is a photo of Mer-Bear at her third birthday party.  That handsome fella with her is my Daddy.

(May 2006)

Today is my son’s 3rd birthday (what? already?) and our good friend’s 29th birthday!  We celebrated over the weekend… so, of couse, photos!

To read more about it CLICK HERE!

Btw, I was a little bored (and some of the pictures were of such poor quality) that I did some crazy things with the photos!

Mom and Dad bought him a “Spidy” shirt.
If I allowed, he would wear it every day this week!  

Hubby did a great job of decorating the cookie cake (one of 3).

Another gift from Poppa and Nana!

M attacks Ashley!

Snug like a bug in a rug.

Happy 29th Birthday John!

B-E-A-yoooouteeful! Isn’t it?

The SUPER family!

He absolutely LOVES to be all wrapped up!